This Time She Did Not Recover

Irene was not elderly. For most of her life she enjoyed good health. Up until recently, she was a vibrant woman, always on the go. But she had one problem—she suffered from chronic hip pain. Eventually, Irene had hip replacement surgery.

After she went through the healing process, which included physical therapy, she seemed to be at full capacity and was up and around, more engaged in life than she had been in years. She even told me that she was glad that she’d had the surgery and was feeling better than ever.

But after a few years, she began to feel ill. At about that time, she learned that the manufactured parts that were implanted in her body for the hip replacement were being recalled because they were causing implant failure due to cobalt and chromium toxicity.

For several years, these toxins had been seeping into Irene’s system, causing irreparable damage to vital organs such as the liver and kidneys and destroying surrounding bone and tissue.

For several years, these toxins had been seeping into Irene’s system, causing irreparable damage to her liver and destroying surrounding bone and tissue. And, unbeknownst to Irene or her family (certainly not known to me until I started writing this piece), the toxins were also known to be the cause of neuropsychiatric morbidity.

After reading about the psychological effects, some things began to make more sense. Irene seemed to be in serious depression over the last year, sometimes finding it difficult to leave the house for long periods of time. That had never been like her.

When Irene was told that the only remedy was to have a second surgery, she dreaded the idea. She tried to see if there was any other way. But finding none, she went through with it and survived.

The second surgery was difficult. Scar tissue from the first surgery was an issue and the unprotected metal of the old implant allowed her bone marrow to attach to it and grow into it. That meant the surgeon had to break her leg in several places to remove the defective device. This second surgery was done to revise and replace the hip implant but also to precent further damage caused by the toxins. She came through it okay but this recovery was not like the first. She didn’t bounce back. She didn’t feel like her old self. She wasn’t always on the go anymore.

This past year was difficult for Irene. Recovery was slow and difficult. She became house bound and increasingly relied on her daughter, Linnea, for the most minor things. She then had a series of infections and seriously reduced vital organ function. This month, a third surgery was performed on Irene’s hip to clean out the infection caused by the second surgery. She did not recover this time.

Irene passed away yesterday, on October 23, 2017, leaving us peacefully, surrounded by friends and family, with her sister, Britt-marie, on the phone from Sweden.

I’m writing this piece because she was my friend. She was the mother of my step-daughter and the former wife of my husband and most of all because I believe she deserved better.

Had Irene known about the slow downward spiral and ultimate fatal outcome of the consequences of having that original hip replacement, I doubt she would have chosen that path.

The medical community has known about these issues for some years and the manufacturer of the faulty artificial hips faces class action lawsuits—which will do Irene no good whatsoever.

I wanted to write this hoping that someone reading it will benefit. I also embedded a video that provides more information. Irene passed less than 24 hours ago and the family is still in shock. And maybe I am, too. But right now, I just feel angry.

Sharon Kyle

Posted on October 24, 2017

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed here are those of the individual contributor(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the LA Progressive, its publisher, editor or any of its other contributors.

About Sharon Kyle

Sharon Kyle, J.D. is the Publisher of the LA Progressive which she co-founded with her husband Dick Price. Ms. Kyle is a professor of law at Peoples College of Law in Los Angeles. She sits on the union board of the ACLU of Southern California and is on the editorial board of the BlackCommentator.com. Ms. Kyle is the proud mother of a teacher and an attorney and proud step-mom of a premed student.

Comments

My heart was breaking as I was reading this, Sharon. It was breaking for Irene, for you, for Dick and her whole family. None of you should have had to go through this. This ruthless system we live in puts profit above all else, including our health. And it cost Irene her life. I’m sad and angry, and wish I had words of comfort for you. I’m glad Irene had all of you, and you had her, for as long as she did.

Thank you for telling us of Irene and her life — and her illness. My condolences to you, Dick, and all.

And for telling us of what happened to her/what was done to her.

How many thousands of similar stories, with the same or other toxins from other surgeries or from the “normal” course of business and environmental exploitation are there that do we not know? Many. Millions.

Corporate America brings such hurt to individuals and to the families and friends. Keep your chin up and we shall all be together fighting for justice for the memory of Irene, our children, our extended families and all of us. Sorry to learn of your loss.

Los Angeles

Michael Krikorian: There may be more doomed locales in town – the coroner’s identification room, a hospice where the only hope is that the end will soon come – but, for a mass gathering of gloom, nothing beats the CJ crowd on a Sunday.